Alright, I'm going to attempt to be as casual about this as possible, but please understand the absolute nature of my excitement here. This is a picture of the center of all major western religion. The gold dome to the left is the Dome of the Rock, built on the site of the Second Temple destroyed in 70 c.e., it is now one of the centers of the Muslim religion, apparently the sight of Mohammad's ascension into heaven. The tan area around it are the walls built by the Ottoman Turks about 550 years ago, brand new in Jerusalem terms, and still twice as old as the United States. To the right, in the distance is the Mount of Olives, the steeple sticking up from the hill is the built where Christ ascended into heaven (so much ascending going on!), and the right near cluster of trees is the hill where the original Jerusalem was built. That hill is the only source of water in the area, and also has good strategic placement as well. Originally, it was U shaped around the base (under the trees) and no more than three or four current houses wide, that is to say that this picture contains 80% of the original city.
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